


Family. And books.

by HufflepuffCariad



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Thorne & Rowling
Genre: Gen, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Scorbus
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-17
Updated: 2017-02-17
Packaged: 2018-09-25 04:42:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,230
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9803069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HufflepuffCariad/pseuds/HufflepuffCariad
Summary: Scorpius wonders if Albus will ever get round to proposing.  Albus wishes his family would stop interrupting.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first ever fan fiction, eek! I was going to say be kind, but actually constructive feedback would be really useful!

Harry was irritated as another internal memo landed on his desk. Didn’t the other heads of departments know he had enough to do? But his irritation turned to happiness as he recognised the handwriting on the memo as Albus’s. Opening it up he found it was an invitation to lunch. Harry and Albus ocasionally had lunch together, but always at Harry’s invitation- he was pleased but surprised to see the request, and wrote back quickly to accept. He smiled, thinking of his son, and thought back to Albus’s difficult teenage years. He wished that he could go back and tell his 37 year old self that it would all be OK, that Albus would be OK, and that their adult relationship would turn out to be quite close in the end. Of course, he thought wryly, even if he could he wouldn’t, enough lessons had been learned there! But discovering that they were actually quite alike had transformed the relationship. Of course Scorpious had helped, Harry reflected. He was good for Albus. And Albus was good for him. ‘Oh Merlin’ he thought, I hope Albus isn’t meeting me to tell them that there is anything wrong between them.  
‘Millicent’, Harry called. ‘Cancel my lunchtime meetings.’ ‘But Mr Potter you’ve got...’ .‘Cancel it’ said Harry, smiling proudly. ‘I’m meeting my son.’  
\-----------------------------------------------

Albus seemed distracted as they sat opposite each other in the Ministry canteen, and pushed his salad around his plate. Harry was just about to ask what was wrong when Albus said suddenly, ‘Dad, how did you propose to Mum?’  
Harry smiled, intrigued, but decided to let Albus lead the conversation.  
‘Quidditch. We had a big family game. Everyone came, even Charlie came over from Romania. I hid the ring in the snitch.’  
Albus smiled, amazed that his Dad had come up with something so romantic. ‘How did you make sure she caught the snitch?’  
‘Well everyone persuaded her that it was unfair if she played Chaser- she was England’s top goalscorer at the time. But there was a brief panic when Ron was late coming back from work and had missed some vital details of the plan. I had to go off because I was winded by one of Percy’s mis-hit bludgers and Ron came on in my place. But George managed to knock him off his broom just in time.’  
Albus grinned. ‘That was a great idea Dad, I bet Mum loved it. But weren’t you nervous asking in front of everyone?’  
‘ I was terrified. But the Weasley ‘s had been my family for years so at least they were all rooting for me. And they are all so close, I knew Mum would have wanted them all there. But you know it doesn’t have to be a big family event. Ron took Hermione to some muggle library. Just the two of them.’ He paused.’ Are you thinking of...’  
‘Yeah.’ Albus smiled nervously.  
‘Are you nervous? Do you think he might not say yes?’  
‘No...’ said Albus slowly, ‘I mean we’ve talked about it... but I want to get it right. I want it to be special’ He paused. ‘Yours and Ron’s proposals sound quite special. ‘  
Harry was touched by the compliment. ‘Yeah they were, because we both thought about what the person we were proposing to would like. What would Scorpious like?’.  
Albus thought. ‘He would probably like the library thing.’ He admitted. ‘And he likes Quidditch now, but that might be just to support Lily.’  
Harry smiled fondly. ‘He loves her like a sister doesn’t he?’  
‘Well she is his sister practically. And will be, hopefully, maybe...’ Albus trailed off blushing.  
‘Don’t tell me there is any doubt? Harry asked. ‘There’s not a chance he will say no. Scorpious has been besotted with you for years. If anyone was made to be together it was you two.’  
‘Well he might if I mess it up!’  
‘Well don’t mess it up then!’ Harry grinned. ‘Seriously though, I think that you could pull off the worst proposal in the world- not that you will- and I’m sure he would still say yes.’  
‘Hmm. But I don’t want him to just accept. I want him to be excited, to feel special. He deserves that. You know I think he’d like having the family there too. I think you’re all a bunch of weirdos but for some reason Scorpious loves spending time with our family.’  
Harry laughed. ‘Probably because his own family is so small. But make sure you include Draco as well then. Have you asked him for ideas? Or Rose, I bet she’d have loads of ideas. Or Lily ‘  
‘Merlin no, I’m definitely not telling Lily yet, can you imagine how excited she would get?’  
‘Have you told your mum?’  
‘No, I haven’t told anyone yet.’  
Harry felt a thrill of pride that he was the first person his son was confiding in, and then a heavy sense of responsibility to get the conversation right. He still filled with shame whenever he thought back to the year that he had tried to keep them apart.  
‘Well Lily would be right to get excited, the whole family will be over the moon,as will Draco. We all love Scorpious and Draco couldn’t ask for a better son in law. ‘  
‘Really? I mean I know you two are friends now,but still, his son marrying a Potter?’  
Harry laughed. ‘You know those prejudices are long gone. I mean the eleven year old Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy would never have believed it, but the Malfoys and the Potters are already practically family, even before you make it official. But even if that weren’t the case, Draco would still want you as a son in law. You’re smart, funny, brave, loyal... I don’t say it enough but you know, I’m so proud of you.’  
Albus twisted awkwardly. He was very touched, but still uncomfortable with talking about his feelings. ‘Thanks Dad’. He said gruffly, eyes firmly on the laminate table below him.  
‘Right.Scorpious’ said Harry, also getting a little embarrassed. Family, books... I’m sure we can come up with something. ‘ His eyes lit up as an idea came to him. ‘You know Rose is a brilliant artist, and fantastic at calligraphy. ‘

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

‘Dad’, asked Scorpious. ‘How did you propose to Mum?’  
Draco looked up quickly. ‘Are you thinking of proposing?’  
‘I don’t know... I always assumed it would be Albus, he normally takes the lead in our relationship, but you know what he’s like at talking about his feelings, remember how long it took up to get together? He can express his feeling physically but when it comes to talking...’  
Draco raised an eyebrow, smiling.  
‘I didn’t mean that!’ said Scorpious blushing furiously. ‘I mean he gives lots of hugs and things but he’s rubbish at saying how he feels, that’s why it took so long to get together, I didn’t even know he was gay for ages.’  
‘Actually I don’t remember how long it took, I seem to remember that you were so worried that I would be upset about you dating a Potter that you didn’t tell me for ages.’  
Scorpious smiled. ‘Well I’m glad I was wrong. And maybe I’m wrong in waiting for Albus to propose, I don’t know, I just want to marry him so much, and I know in straight couples the man usually asks but I don’t know how it works for gay couples. ‘  
‘You make your own rules.’ said Draco ‘ But you know I’m sure Albus wants to marry you. He loves you, you know that.’  
‘I think so. But he has seemed a bit distant recently, sort of distracted. Maybe he’s having second thoughts about marrying me. We’ve talked about it and he always seemed keen, but maybe he’s having doubts. ‘ Scorpious deflated at the thought.  
‘I’m sure that’s not the case.’ Draco reassured him. The way he looks at you hasn’t changed since he was fourteen. The lovesick look never wore off. Quite sickening actually.’ Draco joked. ‘I think I’m just jealous since no one has looked at me that way in quite some time.’ He smiled sadly.  
‘So how did you propose?’  
‘Badly. It was out of anger. We’d had dinner with grandfather and grandmother. They always behaved appallingly to your mother, never thought she was good enough, and it broke my heart to see how much it hurt her. Of course she never liked them either but she would have liked their approval I think. I proposed as soon as we got home, to spite my father as much as anything, although of course I wanted to marry her.’  
‘Why was it bad, did she say no?’  
‘No, but she deserved better. She deserved something special.’  
Scorpious nodded. ‘I hope it’s special when we get engaged, however it happens.’ He paused. ‘You made her happy though.’  
‘I hope so. I think so. She certainly made me happy. And it will be special. For you I mean. I know that Albus loves you. It’s probably taking him so long because his family is so enormous they’ve pprobably all got a different idea of how he should do it.’  
Scorpious felt a thrill at the thought that the Potters and Weasleys might be involved, that they might want him as part of the family. ‘I hope so.’

\------------------------------------------------------------'

The whole family had gathered at the Potter house to celebrate Scorpious‘s birthday. ‘I’m so excited that you are all here!’ said Scorpious with glee. ‘You didn’t have to all come.’  
‘We wanted to come Scorpious. ‘ said Lily. ‘It’s your birthday. And we brought presents!’. Lily’s eyes shone with excitement.  
‘Ooh presents!’ sang Scorpious.  
‘I don’t think I will ever get bored of the random bursts of song’ said Albus, looking at Scorpious soppily. ‘Come on.’ Albus took his hand and pulled him in the living room, where Scorpious found a number of rectangular shaped parcels wrapped in complimenting shades of green and silver.  
‘Ooh books?’ asked Scorpious excitedly.  
‘Well they are the thing you seem to love most in the world’ teased Albus.  
‘The thing I love most after you’ smiled Scorpious,reaching over to kiss Albus on the cheek.  
‘Open the presents!’squealed Lily, excitedly.  
‘Calm down Lily’ said Ginny, ‘It’s Scorpious’s day, he can go at the pace he wants. ‘  
‘I just want to get it started!’  
‘Get what started?’ Scorpious asked.  
Lily flushed.’ The present opening of couse!’  
‘Oh well if you insist ‘ said Scorpious happily, and moved to pick up a parcel in the middle of the pile.  
‘No! ‘ shouted Albus. Scorpious turned to him, alarmed. ‘It’s just... they’re sort of in order. Here.’ Albus handed him a present. ‘Open this one.’  
‘Ooh I’m intrigued’ said Scorpious, but did as he was told.  
‘Ah it’s got my name on it!’ he exclaimed as he opened the first present. ‘ This cover is beautiful.’  
‘Rose helped with that.’ Albus explained. ‘Thanks Rose!’ said Scorpious,beaming. ‘ What’s the book?’ he asked,starting to flip though it.  
‘They are those medical books you wanted for your healer course.’ said Albus, a little nervously. ‘Rose added the dust jackets.’  
‘Oh! But they are so expensive!’  
‘Don’t worry Scorpious ‘ piped Ron, ‘Hermione gets discount in every bookshop in the Wizarding world because of the number of books she buys.’ Everyone laughed as Hermione sent Ron her famous death stare.  
‘Oh I see’ Scorpious continued as he looked through the book. ‘This is volume 1? That’s why they had to be in order? Well it wouldn’t have mattered if I hadn’t, I could have rearranged them later. But thank you for knowing that I like to get everything right.’ He reached across to kiss Albus.  
‘Open the next one! ‘ exclaimed Lily. ‘You’re excited today Lily’ smiled Scorpious. ‘Aren’t they more volumes of the same book? Very exciting nonetheless, but probably less exciting for you to watch me open.’  
‘Only Scorpious could be excited by multiple volumes of the same book’ laughed James affectionately.  
‘Or Hermione’ added Ron. ‘’Or Rose come to think of it. It might just be you and me that are the dunces mate! Anyway, keep opening Scorpious!’  
‘Everyone is very keen for me to open my presents today’ said Scorpious bemusedly.  
Albus shifted in his seat nervously. ‘Well everyone bought you a book. They all wanted to be part of this. Um, part of your birthday I mean.’  
Scorpious gazed affectionately around the room, his heart filled with love for his adopted family. Tears sprang to his eyes as he said joyfully ‘I love the Potter-Weasleys.’  
‘And we love you Scorpious’ smiled Ginny.  
Scorpious opened the next book and read the cover . ‘Ooh Malfoy. Ahh they say my full name!’ He smiled excitedly as he reached for the third book.  
‘I? Did you forget that my middle initial is H? He asked, looking at Albus.  
‘As if I could forget Hyperion!’ snorted Albus.  
‘Better than Severus . ‘ said George who had just appeared in the doorway.  
‘George! ‘ Exclaimed Albus. ‘Where did you come from?’  
‘I just flooed into the kitchen. I couldn’t miss the day that a Malfoy-‘  
‘George!’ shouted Ginny.  
‘Oh haven’t we got there yet? As you were. Angie, Fred and Roxanne are joining us at the-‘  
‘ George!’  
‘ The day a Malfoy what? Joining us where? Scorpious looked round the room confusedly  
‘Nothing’ mumbled Albus. ‘Just... just open your presents.’  
Harry laughed. This is going nearly as well as when I-‘  
‘Harry!’ shouted Ginny. ‘Right that’s enough! Everyone shut up and let Scorpious open his presents!’  
Scorpious looked round alarmed. He had got used to the chaos and the noise of the Potter Weasley gatherings, so different to the quiet, and often loneliness of his childhood, but still hated conflict of any kind.  
‘I’m opening, I’m opening!’  
He opened the next two books. ‘Love. You. Aww.’ He beamed at Albus. I love you too. Though if the books are from everyone, not to be pedantic when I’m so grateful for the books, but shouldn’t they say we love you?’  
Albus, who was getting paler and more nervous with every book opened, was just able to say ‘ just keep opening’ when they heard another whoosh from the kitchen. Everyone looked up to see Molly and Arthur entering the living room, brushing themselves down.  
‘Mum?’ asked Ginny.  
‘We just wanted to pop in to see how things were progressing.’ Said Molly, beaming.  
‘Progressing?’ asked Scorpious. ‘What’s going on, something is going on isn’t it? Albus, Dad, tell me what’s going on?’  
Albus looked positively green by this point. ‘Are you OK?’ asked Scorpious, suddenly alarmed.  
‘Yes.’ Breathed Albus through gritted teeth. ‘I just need you to open your presents, which is taking longer than it should thanks to my FAMILY INTERRUPTING!’  
Scorpious looked even more concerned and quickly turned to the remaining books.  
Albus don’t get cross at your grandparents. They bought a book, they deserve to be here.’ Said Ginny gently.  
‘I’m sorry Gran, Grandad. You do, we’re both pleased to see you. I just want Scorpious to open his presents. ‘ Molly and Arthur smiled down fondly. ‘I know’ Molly reassured.  
‘Will? ‘ asked Scorpious, opening the next book. ‘Is that a secret middle name I didn’t know I had Dad? I’ll have to tell Bill when I see him!’  
‘Keep.. keep opening’ Albus managed.  
‘You?’ Scorpious’s eyes widened and he looked suddenly at Albus. Everyone grinned as the real reason for the excitement about the presents began to dawn on Scorpious.  
He reached frantically for the remaining books.  
‘Marry. Me.’ Scorpious opened his mouth, staring at Albus, but words would not come, he felt so full of emotion.  
Albus glanced shyly at him. ‘ I have one more present for you’ he said, handing Scorpious a small box.  
Scorpious opened it to find a silver pendant.  
‘What..?’  
Albus looked embarrassed. The bit where he had to talk about his feelings had begun.  
‘It’s a crest. Wizards normally give Witches they are proposing to a jewelled necklace, and the muggles, they have rings, but neither of them seemed right. So I was going to get a pendant with the two family crests, Draco gave me the Malfoy one, but the Potters don’t really have one, they aren’t one of the sacred twenty-eight and..’  
‘And they aren’t as poncy as the Malfoys!’ interjected Ron.  
‘Ron shush!’ Draco gave a wry smile as Ginny poked Ron in the ribs.  
‘Anyway’ Albus continued. ‘ I got a new crest made. Rose helped design it. We still need a motto, you can help choose that, if... maybe... He blushed. ‘Anyway. It’s ours. Our Potter Malfoy crest.’  
‘Or perhaps a Malfoy Potter crest?’ smiled Draco.  
Silence descended as everyone awaited Scorpious’s response. Scorpious beamed, joy radiating from every pore of his face. ‘We can decide that while we plan the wedding.’  
The sound of their first kiss as a newly engaged couple was drowned out by the cheer in the room.

\-----------------------------------

Later, at the party that Draco had surprised the boys with, Draco spotted Harry sitting in a corner, surveying the scene contentedly. He poured two glasses of firewhiskey and went to join him.  
‘So’ said Harry, accepting a glass. ‘We have a wedding to plan. Oh Merlin it’s going to be a big fancy Malfoy wedding isn’t it?’  
Draco smiled. ‘Hey, if my son has to become a Potter then the least I can do is ease his way into it. But don’t worry, we’ve dropped the most extreme traditions. I won’t make them make an unbreakable vow.’  
‘Yikes!’ exclaimed Harry. ‘Did you do that? With Astoria?’  
‘Family honour is very important to the Malfoys. But no. My parents accepted the marriage but did not bless it. It allowed us to do things more our own way. And as my son tells me I told him in the other world, she made being brave easy.’  
‘She sounds wonderful. You must miss her’. Harry shook with the horror at the thought of ever losing Ginny.  
‘ I do. Every day. But especially today. She would have loved to see Scorpious so happy. And Albus.’  
‘They do look happy don’t they?’ agreed Harry, glancing over at the boys who were laughing, with their arms casually draped around each other.  
‘Can you imagine the look on our eleven years old faces if we’d known?’  
Draco raised his glass to clink it with Harry’s . ‘Here’s to being nothing like our eleven years old selves.’  
\------------------------------ The party was dying and guests were starting to go home, when Scorpious found Albus outside on the veranda. He walked over to Albus and wrapped his arms around him.  
‘Happy?’ asked Albus.  
Scorpious beamed. ‘Happier than I ever thought I would be, and that I deserve to be.’  
‘Oh you deserve it. You’re my everything. I wanted so much for today to be special for you.’  
‘And it was. When I think back to our first few years at Hogwarts- no friends, very little family- you were all I needed even then, but now I have you forever, I have a fiancee, a massive, crazy family..’  
‘They are crazy. And massive’ admitted Albus.  
‘It’s more than I ever hoped for, ever dared dream of. I’m usually good with words, but there are no words to describe how happy I am. Well. There are some. I’m elated, I’m ecstatic, I’m overwhelmed, I’m overjoyed, I’m...’  
Albus shut him up with a kiss.


End file.
